Pack Brother
by Nicki Monaz
Summary: Jacob has a nightmare about his near death experience and Sam decides to intervene. (I decided Sam should show his more caring side 'cause he seems kinda cold and distant most of the time. Plus, the the more extreme side of the pack sharing thoughts and having a "pack mind" is shown.)


_Italics_ are Jake dreaming and the pack mind, _**bold italics**_are the pack talking as wolves

_The pack tensed all at once. The overpowering vampire stench burned their nostrils and snow crunched under their paws as they ran towards the enemy. Sam and the others howled as they took down leech after leech._

But, it wasn't real.

**_Is that Jacob?_** Leah asked, none of them immediately placing which of the pack was thinking of that day a few months ago.

_They all felt the icy arms wrap around them in a death grip and growled._ They knew who was reliving this.

Seth yelped as he felt the intense pain of breaking bones, **_What's going on, Jake?_**

Their friend and pack brother didn't answer. Something was wrong. They felt off.

**_He's dreaming._** Embry commented, surprise in his tone.

There was a loud murmur and several growls between the werewolves before Sam silenced them.

_**He must have shifted involuntarily in his sleep.**_ Sam announced.

The images and senses of Jacob's mind disappeared.

**_He changed back._** Quil interjected, **_Do you think he woke up?_**

**_Should we go check on him?_** Seth questioned, a slight whimper escaping his throat at the lingering nightmare, concern in his thoughts.

_**I'll be back.**_ Sam told them, **_Stay here._**

Then, the alpha ran off and reverted back to his human form.

_Jacob whimpered as he saw Bella run to Edward again._

_He knew he could never have her, but that didn't stop him from loving her. Why couldn't she love him the way she loved the bloodsucker? She just broke him over and over again._

_Jacob was in the middle of the field again, fighting countless vampires. All he could think of was how much he hated them. Seth was protecting Bella. He needed to focus on helping his pack. He saw a leech going after Leah. It looked like she was losing. Without thinking, Jacob jumped in the way and lunged at the vampire. But, he realized his mistake too late. He heard bones, his bones, cracking and shattering. In the pack's mind, his scream was louder than anything they'd ever heard. Agonizing, unbearable pain drowned out the pack's scream of his name and he was on the ground, unwilling and unable to move the slightest bit. He was going to die, he was sure of it._

"Jacob!" two huge, muscular arms shook him, "Wake up!"

Jacob bolted upright, covered in sweat and still tightly clutching his side. It took him a few minutes to slow his breathing and he registered the completely shredded sheets and pillow on his bed.

"Sam?" he recognized their leader.

"Yes." the older werewolf replied.

"What are you doing here?" Jacob asked.

"You shifted in your sleep. We saw it." Sam answered flatly.

"Oh." the younger reached for an extra pair of pants laying on the nightstand and slipped them on.

"Are you alright?" the alpha revealed hidden concern, "Billy was about to call one of us before I showed up."

"I...I'm fine. You didn't have to leave the others and come here." Jacob told him.

"Yes, I did." Sam's voice showed more emotion than usual, "I know what you're feeling, more than they do. Leah understands heartbreak better than any of us, but I understand pain and fear more than you know."

"What? What are you..." Jacob started to speak, but was silenced.

Sam explained, "A bloodsucker nearly killed me once too. I'd shifted for the first time a few months before. There was just one of them, but it broke most of the bones in my body. I healed quickly, but the pain was still there. Even a month later, I still relived it, the sound of my bones shattering, the pain. No one was there to help me, not in the fight or later. I was alone."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jacob asked.

Sam answered, "You don't have to be alone, Jake. You have help... I'm here for you. We all are...You're our brother."

"Uh, thanks, Sam." Jacob wasn't sure what to say to his usually distant leader.

"Now, stop giving all of us nightmares." Sam's face was expressionless, "I don't want a whole pack's dreams to deal with."

"Sure. I'll try not to." Jacob replied.

"Goodnight, Jacob." Sam ended the conversation, then left the Black household and ran off.

The alpha howled in the distance.

Jacob laid back in bed, "Goodnight, Sam."

Sam was terrible at connecting, but he was trying.

**_Good enough for me._** Jacob went back to sleep. And the pack wasn't interrupted by his dreams again.


End file.
